I had one trip in a Sea Vampire T22 back in 1969 - the cockpit was indeed rather an ergonomic slum! I recall one pre-start check was to make sure that instructor and student hadn't got their straps interconnected!
But we flew back from RNAS Lossiemouth to RNAS Yeovilton in little more time than it took me to get from RAF Kinloss to RNAS Lossiemouth as a passenger in what must have been one of the RAF's last Standard Vanguards!